You Can't Let Go
by 27vampyresinhermind
Summary: Noah teaches Rachel how to skateboard. Inspired by the wonderful video of Mark teaching Lea how to skateboard in NYC. Hope you like it!


**a/n: Well, here is one of the one-shots I was talking about. The idea for this came from all the pictures and videos from when the cast was in New York and Mark was teaching Lea how to skateboard. I honestly expected a lot of people to rush to write something using that which is why I held off on the idea but after having a three hour panic attack due to all the tornado bullshit, I decided to write it as a means to distract myself. I really liked the way it ended up and I hope you do too. Thank you so much! I don't own Glee…**

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><p>Rachel looked out at the Lima Community Park with a smile on her face. She was excited to say the least. It was the day that Noah was to teach her how to skateboard. It had taken some convincing when she'd first asked him about it.<p>

The day had been comfortable so he taken his skateboard to school instead of driving. He'd been showing off in the parking lot that same afternoon when she was getting ready to leave and she stuck around to watch. By the time he finished, Rachel had decided that it looked like something she should know how to do. So she called him once she got home and asked if he would consider teaching her. He thought she was joking at first but she was finally able to make him believe that she honestly wanted to learn. So they set it up.

Suddenly there was a knock on her window and she jumped out of her musings. Noah had rolled up beside her car. She got out of the car and threw her arms around him before she could stop herself.

"Noah! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this. When I was watching you the other day doing all those flips, it just looked like so much fun. I've even looked in to skateboards specially designed for girls and if today goes as well as I hope it will, I'm going to order one and then I'll have my own skateboard. What's in the bag?" While she'd been talking ninety to nothing, she noticed the small duffel bag Noah was carrying in his hand. He just laughed.

"Slow your roll, jelly. Let's go over to the fountain where there's more concrete." Rachel nodded her head and watched in jealousy as he easily popped the skateboard up to his hand so he could carry it under his arm. Soon, she _would_ know how to do that if it killed her. He looked down at her on the way and snorted. "Glad you took my advice and wore _jeans_." He was being sarcastic of course seeing as how Rachel was wearing a girly t-shirt and one of her plaid pleated skirts. At least she was wearing a pair of converse rather than her usual penny loafers. Rachel just looked down at her clothing choice and shrugged.

"I wanted to look the part and I think this looks very 'skater-girl' chic." That statement made Noah laugh quite heartily as he shook his head.

"Of course." They reached the fountain and he dropped the bag on the edge to unzip it. "Alright, sit down. I brought these from when my sister was learning how to rollerblade." He pushed a pair of elbow pads into her lap. "Do you know how to put those on?"

To say she was surprised at his preparedness was an understatement. She'd seen him skateboard in passing countless times over the years and never once had he worn any sort of protective gear.

"Why do I have to wear elbow pads," she asked. It didn't seem that dangerous. It wasn't like she was going for the next X Games title, she just wanted to learn how to coast around the park or street.

"Not just elbow pads," he chuckled and pulled a pair of matching knee pads out of the bag before kneeling down in front of her. "You're gonna wear these too. Hannah's gear was made for little kids and you're about that size so this stuff should work. And you have to wear them so that if you fall, the whole damn glee club doesn't come after me for breaking you. I couldn't find the helmet so just try to fall on your ass instead of your head." He laughed but Rachel's eyes widened with a sharp intake of breath. Noah looked up at her and smiled. "I'm kidding Rachel. Calm down." She swallowed but was starting to rethink her master plan of learning to skateboard.

Noah slid his hand up her leg and wrapped the knee pad around her, securing the Velcro so it wouldn't slide down her leg and become a useless ankle bracelet instead. When he reached over to her other leg, his finger brushed against the back of her knee and she gasped softly. He let his hands wander around the protective gear a little longer than necessary, making _absolutely_ sure they were secure, before meeting her eyes again. They were dark and curious, a look he was used to getting from her. She smiled though so it was okay.

"Thank you Noah." He didn't really bother responding, just stood up and inspected her elbows to make sure she'd put those on correctly. She had.

"Alright, let's start." Rachel put one foot up on the board and suddenly didn't feel so great. Noah wouldn't have brought all of the protective gear if it wasn't dangerous to do. He was obviously far more skilled in the sport, or far more reckless, and that was his reasoning for not wearing the pads himself. What if she fell, and broke something? What if she could never dance again? Or worse! What if she fell on a stick, it punctured her neck thus mangling and destroying her vocal chords in the process, and then she never sang again? Rachel promptly took her foot off of the horrid thing and stepped back.

"Noah, I can't do this." Noah looked at her, realizing her fears were starting to get the best of her, and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Listen Rach, I wasn't planning on handing you the board and telling you to take off. I'm here to teach you." His voice was soft and briefly reminded her of how he'd spoken to her in the girls' restroom when he was trying to convince her that a nose job was a terrible idea. She looked down at the board again and then back to him. "You trust me right?" Admittedly, she did.

"Yes, I trust you Noah." He smiled when she said that and his smile made her smile in return.

"Then you know that I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. Just give me your hands." Rachel eagerly placed her hands in his, sighing as he gently rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles. He rolled the skateboard between them and placed his foot on it so it wouldn't move. "Okay, just put your foot on the deck and get your balance before putting your other foot up there." Noah gently took his foot off when she was standing on the board. He noticed that she tightened her grip on his hands as she looked down and saw that his foot was no longer keeping her steady.

"This isn't so bad," she said shakily. He wanted to laugh just a little bit but knew that it wouldn't help her. Without him telling her to do so, she suddenly reached down to the ground and pushed off, sliding about two feet down the sidewalk. Noah expected her to yell or something but she giggled instead as his arms caught her around her midsection before she could fall off.

"Alright now Tony Hawk, that's how you fall on your ass." Rachel just laughed again and reached over with her foot to bring the skateboard back between them. She grabbed onto his hands once more and looked up at him.

"Again! Be my Yoda! I'm ready Noah." He laughed out loud when she said that, surprised at her Star Wars reference, and replied,

"Okay young Jedi, the Force is strong within you." Rachel giggled again and stepped back up onto the skateboard. He was ready for her this time when she pushed on the ground and he walked with her as she rolled. Her laughter was infectious as she started getting more confident on the board. When she leaned forward on the balls of her feet, figuring out on her own how to steer, he felt a little proud of her and grinned. Noah loosened his grip on one of her hands only to have her grip tighten in response as she jumped off suddenly, looking up at him with those Bambi eyes.

"Don't, you, you can't let go yet. Just don't let me go." That did something to his stomach when she said that and he immediately repositioned his hands in hers so that she was secure again.

"I won't let you go this time Rachel."

Three hours later, she was ready to try it on her own. At first she did a couple feet at a time, then a couple more feet, Noah walking right beside her the whole way with arms outstretched in case she lost her balance. She decided that she wanted to go around the fountain so Noah jumped up on the fountain's ledge and walked as she rode the skateboard slowly around the fountain three times. She was still a little wobbly but each time around, she'd gain confidence and he would cheer her on. Rachel did end up falling once but the knee pads broke her fall and Noah was by her side in an instant to help her back up.

The sun was setting when they decided to call it quits and Rachel sat down on the fountain again, somewhat worn out from the day's activities. She used her padded knee to bump his leg and giggled for the nine hundredth time that day. He was learning really fast that Rachel giggled when she was excited or proud about something. It was growing on him very quickly.

In the soft lights from the fountain behind them, the water trickling and splashing around, Rachel looked over at Noah and smiled. She leaned in quickly and placed a firm kiss to his lips, pulling back before either of them got the chance to deepen it. Looking at him to judge his reaction, Rachel was pleased when he chuckled.

"You're welcome Rach, but next time you wanna thank me with a kiss, throw in a little tongue to make it really count." She laughed at him and stood up to take her various forms of protection off. She handed them back to him so he could put them back in his bag and waited until he stood up in front of her.

"Maybe next time, I will."

When she gave him a ride home that night and he leaned across the seat while sitting in his driveway, they made it count.

_**-fin-**_

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><p><strong>an2: next up…Quick? Haha no worries though, trust me when I say I haven't jumped ship. "The Time", give it a chance. Please review!**

**Meagan (musicconsumes)**


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